One Week Later

One week ago last night was the break-in. Spent much of the week calling all over the states trying to get my credit cards, debit cards, ID cards, all my personal information straightened out. What a mess. For any who have lost your wallet, you will understand the pain. Mike has been very good about not nagging/ reminding me that a wallet should not be stored in a car, even when it is locked. It makes me sort of sad because I like keeping my wallet in the car.....so I don’t loose it. I keep thinking the wallet will show up somewhere. Nothing in it will do anyone else any good. It would just be easier if they just would give it back. Trying to get a new driver’s license is proving to be a whole other crazy circle of roadblocks. I will probably try to get a local one.....costing way more than we want to pay......... then get a replacement when I get back to Alaska. Otherwise I will not be able to drive for the next 16 months, which is unacceptable.

We had a great Thanksgiving....way different than any I have had before. When we saw the $88.00 dollar price tag on a big (not huge) turkey, we figured we could do a little “different”. We ended up having a branch dinner. There were four ladies who cooked for about 40 men. When you think that is only cooking for 10 each, I guess that was doable. One lady cooked two turkey breasts. Another did a 20 pound potato salad. I did a huge “Wendy Crichfield” chicken salad along with my cinnamon rolls (made without my Bosch). The last lady bought rolls and drinks. It seemed to be enough for everyone. I actually enjoyed going to bed without being stuffed, and not having 30 pounds of food left over. Maybe this year I won’t gain 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year. We had a sing-a-long. The Haitian men love to sing and several have amazing voices. Anyway everyone had fun.

Erin is here with her two beautiful little angel girls. It is wonderful to see them. Now if I had a license, I would leave the kids with Mike, and Erin and I would run around together. There is no shopping to speak of, but we could go visiting. Now poor Mike has to tag along even if he does not want to. Erin brought us an endless list of things we needed that we can not get here. It is funny because now that she is here, we have already started another list for the next visitor.

With the Christmas season upon us, Leah helped us set up our 1 foot tree tonight. She put the decorations on and them took them off again to play with them. Having children around puts me in the Christmas spirit.

We went to the beach today on our P-Day. It was about 85º....slight breeze. Kids had a ball. Could not ask for more. Tomorrow Erin is helping with English Class and Family night. We love you all.

Mike and Bonnie

Hurrah for Zion!

This is an update to the weekly letter Bonnie sends out. Isn’t she great about sharing our experiences with all of you? Anyway, to the update..... last night I returned from taking the Elders home after dinner. The usual routine went on as we prepared to turn in for the evening. As usual, I emptied my pockets and placed my wallet, watch, etc. on the dresser in our bedroom area. We locked up the house and turned in about 10:00 PM. The night’s rest was uneventful except that sometime in the night we heard what we thought were cats out on the veranda.

This morning Bonnie arose, showered, and was preparing for the day (P Day) when she went into the kitchen. She returned to the bedroom and asked me, “What are your shorts doing on the floor in the kitchen?” Of course I had no idea. Then she asked , “Where are the car keys?” We usually leave the keys on the kitchen counter. The key ring contains car keys, house key, and keys to the doors of the church. I told her I didn’t know where the keys were if they weren’t on the counter. She then walked out the kitchen door and reported the our car was missing. We then began looking at what happened, and piecing details together.

It seems as though while we were sleeping, someone took out the screen over the kitchen sink, climbed through the open window and proceeded to burglarize our house while we slept only a few feet away. Apparently he came into our bedroom area, took our watches and picked up my pants. He must have found nothing in them and thrown them on the kitchen floor. Apparently, he picked up the car keys from the counter and used the house key to open the deadbolt on the door from the inside. He then must have made his getaway in our church owned Kia Sportage. Some of the neighbors were also victimized but to a lesser degree.

We believe we were blessed in that it could have been much worse in many ways. We of course have spent most of the day completing police reports, talking with the mission home, etc. Oh yes, I didn’t mention that Bonnie had a habit of leaving her wallet in the car. And that wallet contained her driver’s license, Military dependent ID, and many credit cards. So, she as been on the phone (thank goodness for Skype) all day canceling cards and notifying financial concerns. We’re also waiting for a locksmith to arrive to change the house locks.

We received a call from the police that they believe the car has been found. We are told that it appears to be in good shape inside and out. We didn’t dare ask about the wallet for fear that if perchance it is not missing...it would be when the police saw it. The keys were not in the car that was found. So that means whoever took them knows where we live and has a car key. The mission home folks told us that although it is expensive, they want the car re-keyed. The Church PFR said he doesn’t think we need to change locks at the church since there is nothing to indicate what those keys are for.

In retrospect, as I mentioned, it could have been much worse. Our good neighbor told us that 3 years ago in a house close by, the airline pilot occupant awoke while his home was being invaded. He confronted the thief and was killed. My first thought was that I wish I had awakened. But, maybe I was blessed by being fast asleep during the invasion. Anyway, all that was taken can be replaced. And they could have taken our laptop, MP3 player and dock, my wallet, Bonnie’s camera, etc. They were all within mere inches of the watches and that pair of pants. All those items would have been much more difficult to replace. Nevertheless the Gospel is true. I suppose the adversary was not happy that we had five baptisms yesterday...this was his payback!

Hurrah for Zion!

Elder and Sister Herbert

Kicked in Door

Another new experience. We picked up the elders at 10 AM on Wednesday morning and took them to the church. When we drove up Mike noticed the door frame had been broken. When we went to check we saw the the door to the clerks office had been kicked in. All of us had visions of the computer stolen. The elders had their bikes stored in there and that is where all the food is kept. As we studied what was there it seemed all that was taken was two cases of Gatoraid. We could not believe it. It seems like it was one person, on foot, and that is all he (or she, I guess) could carry. I have no idea what would cause someone to break in a church, kick in a door and steal two cases of Gatoraid. It actually had someone’s name on it as it had been left for a certain young man in our ward. The police came and took fingerprints, but we have little hope of finding out who did this. Here is my hope. I hope it was someone who came in with someone else and noticed it. I just don’t want it to be a member. I doubt we will ever know....but I don’t want to start worrying about the honesty of the members. I love them so.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers about Lemorin last week. He has decided to return to Haiti on December 20. Mike and I worry that when he goes, many in the bight will go with him. He is such a binding force in our branch. We worry that many others will go with him.

One of the members (Ralph Joseph) came to English class and Institute on Thursday night. We had not seen him here for a long time so were thrilled to talk to him. Turns out he has no place to live....just goes form one friends house to another....no job and no food. We convinced him to visit with President Otin (our branch president). He asked if we would come in with him and talk. There is such a language barrier here. We convinced him to take a Creole speaking brother in and they visited today. He told me he hadn’t eaten and has no food. I gave him some cans of soup which we had purchased for just this reason. He left with several people from the bight. They have a special brotherhood there and seem to take care of each other. The poor taking care of the poor. Another of our Sisters had not eaten in two days and was sick today. It is hard for me to understand why they stay here. Haiti must be worse.

It looks like Erin and her two little ones will come and visit us soon. We are looking forward to that.

It my mother’s birthday today. If she were alive she would be 90 years old. I miss her.

Here is a picture of all the men singing, “I am a child of God.” This was my English Class last Thursday night. I think this link will work if you want to hear them on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHTb7BBZ7dc

We had 5 baptisms today. The elders have worked so hard this week to make it happen. The first three weeks we were here there was a baptism every week but we have not had one for three weeks now. So to have 5 today was wonderful.

We love each of you so very much. Thank you for your prayers.

One of the things Mike and I have a hard time with is....the “haves” and the “have nots”. We drive down the road and on the right side is this resort and ohter mansions. On the left you drive up this broken up excuse for a road, and there is extreme poverty surrounding you. It is very hard to take pictures of their houses as they are very sensitive about that.